[240] "And what, bhikkhus, is the method (pariyāya) by relying on which a bhikkhu — apart from faith … apart from acceptance of a view after consideration — declares final knowledge (aññā): he understands, 'Destroyed is birth, the holy life (brahmacariya) has been lived, done is what had to be done, there is no more of this state of being'?
"Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having seen a form with the eye, when greed, hatred, and delusion (rāga-dosa-moha) exist within, understands: 'Greed, hatred, and delusion exist within me'; or when greed, hatred, and delusion do not exist within, he understands: 'Greed, hatred, and delusion do not exist within me.' Now, bhikkhus, as to this — that a bhikkhu, having seen a form with the eye, when greed, hatred, and delusion exist within, understands: 'Greed, hatred, and delusion exist within me,' or when greed, hatred, and delusion do not exist within, understands: 'Greed, hatred, and delusion do not exist within me' — are these things to be understood by faith, to be understood by preference, to be understood by oral tradition, to be understood by reasoned reflection, or to be understood by acceptance of a view after consideration?"
"No indeed, venerable sir."
"Are these things not, bhikkhus, to be understood by seeing them with wisdom (paññā)?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"This too, bhikkhus, is a method by relying on which a bhikkhu — apart from faith, apart from preference, apart from oral tradition, apart from reasoned reflection, apart from acceptance of a view after consideration — declares final knowledge: he understands, 'Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, done is what had to be done, there is no more of this state of being.' …"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.